Monday, April 16, 2012

Thought: Life Without Leashing

Leashing has not always been a part of League of Legends. Long ago jungle creeps would not change targets after reaching their leash range, but would simply reset. In addition, the range for shared exp from jungle creep kills was once three times what it is now. It is only because these mechanics changed that leashing became possible.

Today it is easy to take leashing for granted, and many players now find it pointless to practice jungling without a leash. As receiving a leash is almost certain, practicing without one can seem counterproductive. Don't fall into this mental trap, it will cause you to lose games.

For the same reason that one should practice blue-dependent junglers without blue buff, one should practice junglers without leashing. If you aren't prepared to jungle in adversity you aren't truly prepared to jungle. It may not happen frequently, but there will be games where you will not get a leash. Competitive players need to be ready not only for normal and ideal scenarios, but also for the worst-case.

Though it may seem odd, past a certain point leashes actually become less likely as your Elo increases. This is because level 1 team fights and invasions become much more common. It is often awkward for anyone to leash for you following an invasion, as doing so will cost them farm and put them at a disadvantage. Being prepared to jungle effectively without a leash and at varying health levels is the mark of a veteran jungler.

Practicing with a leash is not a bad idea, but shunning leashless practice is a mistake. There's a lot to learn from adversity that can't easily be found elsewhere.

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